Key Takeaways
- A team from Chennai won NASA’s “Most Inspirational” award at the 2025 International Space Apps Challenge with their project “Photonics Odyssey” or AakashNet.
- AakashNet aims to provide affordable, high-speed internet to India’s remote villages using indigenous technology, inspired by ISRO’s cost-effective approach.
- The team plans to submit proposals to ISRO for collaboration, focusing on long-term development rather than rapid commercialization.
Chennai Students Triumph at NASA Space Apps Challenge
A team of engineering students from SRM Easwari Engineering College in Chennai has made waves by winning the “Most Inspirational” award at the 2025 NASA International Space Apps Challenge. Their project, “Photonics Odyssey,” also known as AakashNet, seeks to address the digital divide in India by delivering low-cost, high-speed internet to its most remote areas. The team’s submission was selected as one of the top 10 out of over 11,500 entries.
The Space Apps Challenge, held annually since 2012, promotes innovation using NASA’s open data to create solutions for both Earth and space challenges. The recognition provides confidence in garnering “institutional support” for AakashNet as a public digital utility, according to team member Prasanth Gopalakrishnan, a second-year electronics student.
Current global satellite internet providers typically operate on a commercial basis with expensive hardware imported from overseas. Gopalakrishnan highlights that AakashNet differentiates itself by focusing on public impact over profit, leveraging ISRO’s efficient technology approach to offer accessible satellite broadband.
AakashNet’s team includes five other students: Rajalingam N, Rashi Menon, Sakthi Sanjeev Kumar, Deeraj Kumar, and Manish Varma D, each contributing skills from electronics and communication to computer science and artificial intelligence. The group formed through their college’s Space Club and spent two to three months refining their concept. Initially, they evaluated various problem statements from NASA and settled on a solution that aligns with their technical expertise and social impact goals.
Emphasizing community benefit, Gopalakrishnan stated that AakashNet intends to maintain affordability for underserved populations by utilizing local manufacturing and public sector collaboration. He credited his college for providing a nurturing environment through mentorship and resources essential for interdisciplinary innovation.
Moving forward, the team plans to prepare technical documentation, patents, and project proposals for ISRO’s review. Their long-term vision focuses not on hasty commercialization but on methodical development under national leadership, prioritizing sovereignty and the public good in expanding internet access.
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